NAME CHANGE FOR "THE CW"?

The surprise news that CBS Corp. and Warner Bros. are partnering to form a new fifth network, dubbed The CW and replacing WB and UPN, has left many station owners scrambling. Per the New York Post, although the switch isn't effective until the fall, Fox-owned channel 9 like several other affiliates across the country already has scratched "UPN" from its on-screen logo, as well renamed its nightly newscast. "It doesn't seem sensible to promote a network that no longer exists," a News Corp. rep explains to Variety. In markets boasting UPN and WB affiliates, the "loser" not getting programming from The CW starting in September is left to fill massive amounts of air time, and will likely have to choose from a mix of syndicated Judge Alex-type fare, telenovelas and expanded news shows. The best news in all of this? Although CBS boss Les Moonves has denied it, Variety says there already is talk that CW may get a desperately needed name change by the summer.